Through Different Eyes
by Blondegirl14
Summary: Galinda and Elphaba weren't always friends, but everyone knows that. Read and explore the relationship forming between the young witches at Shiz, from loathing, to friendship, to more. Gelphie will get stronger as story goes on. R&R please.
1. Your Typical Conversation

Disclaimer: Nothing of Wicked belongs to me unless I happen to make up a character. I do not intend to infringe upon any copyrights or anything, I'm not weird like that 

A/N: So, my first attempt at a Wicked story. I'm in love with this show and its' wonderful characters, so I'm going to give it a go and see where it gets me. This is going to be a Gelphie story, so if that offends you, you better either read and keep quiet about it, or don't read it at all. Hope those of you who do read it enjoy. Please R&R, let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is welcome as always, no bashing please.

* * *

Even from where she sat at her desk, pressed against the far corner of the room, Elphaba could hear the footsteps of her annoyingly blonde roommate approaching. Now Galinda certainly wasn't the only girl at Shiz who wore heels capable of making such a racket. On the contrary, many of the young ladies who roomed on this hallway found such a sound to be extremely alluring. But in the long two months that Elphaba had lived in this half bland, half pink, room, she'd come to recognize her roommate's distinctive walks. There was the walk of excitement, where the clacking sounds of those damned heels were placed so close together that one could almost think that Galinda was running up the hall. Then you had the flustered walk, where every few steps Elphaba could hear an off step, a much quieter clack amidst the louder ones. The social walk was comprised of several pairs of heels, all walking the same slow pace. Today, not much to Elphaba's surprise but most to her displeasure, she heard those heels coming faster than she'd ever heard them before. This could only mean one of two things. Galinda was either being chased up the hallway by a giant flesh-eating makeup compact, a thought that made Elphaba smile, or that Winkie prince, the one everybody was crawling over, had finally, after weeks of looks across the table and intense flirting, asked her out. And as much as Elphaba enjoyed envisioning her first idea, she knew it was the latter. Sure enough, the door to the room swung open, though Elphaba didn't bother to pick her eyes up from her reading to look. Galinda had grown quite used to the lack of attention she received from her roommate, but that didn't stop her from gloating.

"He's the most wonderful, amazing, handsome man in the whole wide world and he's all mine!"

Elphaba heard the blonde flop down onto her bed, the ample pillows letting out a soft whooshing sound as the smaller girl's weight sunk upon them. Galinda hadn't acknowledged her green roommate's presence, and it was very likely that she was talking to herself and expecting no response. Elphaba knew she shouldn't try and provoke the girl, but the temptation was just too great.

"So you finally said yes to Boq?"

She knew good and well that Galinda would never go out with Boq, but it was fun to annoy the blonde. Galinda propped herself up on her elbows and rolled her eyes at the green girl's back.

"Bick? Heavens no!"

She added a dainty little laugh to the end of the statement, a sound that made Elphaba feel quite sick.

"Fiyero! We're going out for lunch tomorrow, isn't that wonderful?"

Now it was Elphaba's turn to roll her eyes, though she still hadn't bothered to look up from her books.

"You really want my opinion of what is wonderful Miss Galinda?"

Surely the blonde wouldn't fall into such a trap, for although Galinda's grades were far from desirable, she was smart enough to know not to ask anything of the green girl.

"That was rhetorical Miss Elphaba. Why must you always be so conforon…. conofron…."

Elphaba smirked and took great pleasure in correcting the blonde.

"Confrontational?"

Galinda huffed quietly in annoyance, though she really should have expected it. When was the last time she'd won an argument of words with the artichoke? As hard as it was for her to admit, never. Elphaba stole a look over her shoulder at Galinda, who had her arms crossed and a pouty expression on her face. She was acting like a child, and Elphaba resisted the urge to just laugh at the antics. But laughing would only infuriate the blonde, and Elphaba really didn't feel like dodging airborne items getting chucked at her head with surprising force. As she turned her head back towards her book, she heard Galinda sit up on her bed.

"I really want him to like me."

Elphaba was surprised by the genuinely serious tone that the words were spoken in. How could Galinda possibly think for a second that a guy wouldn't like her? She was everything a guy could desire. Not very bright, beautiful, and easy to get. In her own way, Elphaba felt sorry for her roommate. And as much as she knew Galinda hoped otherwise, this Fiyero guy would be just like all the rest of the guys out there.

"Oh please Galinda, are we talking about the same guy here? The one who's been ogling over you ever since he first saw you? THAT Fiyero, or the other one?"

The blonde perked up instantly at the remark, and Elphaba immediately regretted having said it. She was giving Galinda false hope about the situation, and that was mean. Not that she didn't say or do other mean things, but this one wasn't provoked. Usually Elphaba's meanness was caused by remarks or actions made against her. But Galinda, at least in this moment, had made no mark against her, and so didn't deserve such comments to bolster her confidence.

"He's been ogling at me?"

The blonde had a new level of excitement in her voice, though it wasn't like she hadn't already known this. She had, but the fact that Elphaba had noticed meant that the green bean had been watching them, or at least Fiyero, which was a huge deal.

"I think somebody's jealous of me."

Now it was Galinda's turn to prod Elphaba, though it wasn't always as much fun. Sometimes the green girl would simply ignore the verbal assault, choosing to curl up on her bed with some book instead. But occasionally, Elphaba would react, and that was when it got fun. With her face hidden in her book, Elphaba blushed, her cheeks flashing a darker shade of green.

"I am NOT jealous of you."

The words were snapped quickly in the way Elphaba always spoke when she was annoyed. Galinda smiled, though it was really more of a knowing grin.

"It's okay Elphie, I don't -"

She was immediately interrupted by Elphaba, who'd spun around quickly in her chair.

"Don't call me that!"

Galinda shut up quickly, and Elphaba turned back around, her breathing coming heavier now.

"Sorry it just… came out."

The explanation went ignored, or if Elphaba had responded, it had been took soft to hear. Sensing the lull in what could barely be called a conversation, Galinda roes from her bed and went to the bathroom to prepare for bed. Elphaba took a moment to collect herself, that nickname still ringing loudly in her head. No one had ever given her a nickname before that wasn't referring to her color. How was she supposed to react to this? Seeing as she knew Galinda would be in the bathroom for awhile, Elphaba got ready for bed herself. Her dark navy nightgown was much more comfortable to sit around in than her frock. Elphaba went back to her reading, legs crossed Indian style in her chair. Ten minutes later, Galinda emerged from the bathroom in a lotion-scented cloud of steam, her body adorned with a soft pink tank top and white pajama pants. Without talking, the girls settled themselves into bed, the book never leaving Elphaba's hands, her eyes only moving off the text long enough to pull the covers up over her legs. Galinda didn't think apologizing would do anything, so she kept her mouth shut, but that didn't mean she wasn't thinking about it. She'd given nicknames to some of her friends before and it hadn't been a big deal. But then again, her and Elphaba weren't really friends. They tolerated one another's presence well enough, but tonight's incident was their typical type of conversation. One of them usually ended up yelling at the other, and Galinda could remember one particularly bad night when Elphaba had gotten so mad that she'd busted a light bulb. The exploding glass had scared both girls nearly to death, and had quickly ended the argument. Galinda stole a look over at her roommate, surprised to see that Elphaba was already asleep, her arms crossed peacefully, her book laying beside her. She looked so content in her sleep, and Galinda immediately felt awkward staring at Elphaba. Taking a deep, settling breath, she rolled over, her back now to her roommate. The blonde's thoughts kept her awake for a few minutes, but eventually she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	2. Pink Goes Good With Green

Disclaimer: I've wished on every eyelash but I still don't own anything from Wicked. So yeah, don't sue me please, thanks.

A/N: So thanks very much to my wonderful reviewers and I'm writing as quickly and with as much muse as I can manage at the moment. This chapter may be a bit shorter, but it was a good ending place. Keep reading and reviewing please! Gracias 

--

The Saturday morning dawned early for Elphaba as it always did. She had never been a late riser, mostly because she'd always gotten up to care for Nessa. And even though her sister was no longer in her charge here at Shiz, getting up early had simply become a habit. Galinda of course, was still asleep, her face relaxed, and her usually manicured hair tangled and flat around her face. Elphaba had slept her anger off, though the nickname still rang in her head. Elphie… The name held a tone of affection and friendship, which was mostly the reason it confused her so. Galinda had never shown any interest in befriending her. In fact, the blonde had made it quite clear that being seen with Elphaba was simply unacceptable. They sat on opposite sides of the room for every class they had together; Galinda with her group of equally rich and almost as popular friends, Elphaba, well, by herself. If ever their eyes caught, Galinda would look quickly away, as if afraid that the unpopularness would somehow find its' way over to her. Not that Elphaba cared whether or not her roommate liked her. She'd lived her whole life alone, why should now be any different? Looking out the window she was quick to notice the grayish clouds in the distance, rain. Well wasn't that just great! Now she couldn't even go outside. Moving quietly so as not to wake Galinda, Elphaba dressed, and packed a small bag for herself. She could spend the day at the library, or perhaps she might go see Dr. Dillamond. That sounded like a better idea, at least it was something that would keep her mind engaged and off of that nickname. Sliding the bag up onto her shoulder, Elphaba left the room. At this time of morning on a Saturday, the halls were empty and she was able to get down to the Goat's room quickly and without event. Always happy to see one of his favorite students, Dr. Dillamond offered Elphaba a smile, one which she returned.

"Good morning Elphaba, what are you doing here so early?"

The green girl stood in front of his desk, her hands resting lightly in the pockets of her frock.

"Morning sir, I was hoping that I might be able to help you today, if you needed it."

The Goat smiled and thought for a moment, loving how eager Elphaba was to work. The two of them were much the same, both looked down upon by society for one reason or another. So they'd come together, and gotten along quite well.

"I'd love the help. I'm conducting an experimental lab today dealing with the effects of Ozmatite on the leaf of the Wizardma tree. It could give us an insight into its' effects on animals and Animals. You interested?"

Elphaba nodded energetically and put her bag down on a desk.

"Sounds fun, when can we start?"

The Goat and the green girl worked through the morning setting the lab up. There were difficult pre-lab instructions to be followed, and before either one realized it, several hours had gone by. Finally Dr. Dillamond stepped back from the table and clasped his hooves together.

"I do believe we are ready to begin Elphaba. Would you mind going and getting the Ozmatite for me from the chemical shed?"

Elphaba nodded and walked over to her bag, digging around in it until she found a snack. It was a bit of a walk to the chemical shed, and she was getting hungry, seeing as she wasn't really much of a breakfast person.

"Sure, I'll be back in a few minutes sir."

And with that, she left. It was around noon now, and the halls were much more crowded than they'd been this morning. Students bustled about, most of them probably on the way to the dining hall for lunch. This thought reminded her of Galinda's lunch date today with her prince. She'd have to hear about that all night probably, whether she showed any interest in it or not. The thought brought her spirits down briefly as she exited the building and headed down the hill towards the chemical shed. But Elphaba had forgotten about the clouds she'd seen this morning, clouds that were much closer now. Cursing the weather under her breath, Elphaba walked faster, determined to make it back inside before the rain started. But she'd barely gotten halfway down the hill before that familiar burning sensation started, first on the back on her neck, then on her scalp. Taking homage under a medium sized tree, Elphaba pushed herself against the trunk, trying desperately to avoid the falling drops which came faster now from the sky.

"Miss Elphaba?"

The green girl looked up, surprised to see Galinda standing a few feet out, her perfectly put together appearance kept safe under an umbrella. Elphaba really didn't feel like dealing with her roommate, who, judging by her fancier than usual dress, was off to lunch.

'Yes Miss Galinda?"

Her tone was strained, and the blonde could tell by Elphaba's clenched jaw that something was wrong. Why was she huddled under a tree when the building was only a short run away? Galinda stepped closer, moving in under the arms of the tree.

"What are you doing out here?"

Elphaba found it hard to believe that her roommate actually cared this much. Perhaps she was trying to make up for the nickname incident of the night before, but really, she could have picked a better time.

"Trying not to get -"

She was cut off by a large drop of water that landed with a resounded splash on her cheek. Almost immediately the skin got a reddish tint and Galinda cringed as she watched the green girl's eyes close tightly and her fists clench.

"Oh Elphie!"  
Without realizing she'd even said the nickname, the blonde rushed forward and thrust her umbrella out over Elphaba's head. The green girl had heard the name, but was in too much pain to care at the moment. She opened her eyes and found herself face to face with Galinda, closer than either of them really should have been to one another. Their eyes locked for a quick second before another loud voice sounded out.

"Galinda! Come on, you'll be late for your lunch!"

It was Shenshen's voice, one of the other little rich girls here at Shiz, and a good friend of Galinda's. The blonde immediately jumped back, though the arm holding the umbrella stayed.

"Keep the umbrella, Shenshen's got one I can use."

For once, Elphaba was speechless. She should say thank you, but between the pain left over from the water, and the shock of what had just happened, she couldn't find her voice. She just managed to mouth the words and wrap her fingers around the handle of the umbrella before Galinda was gone. The blonde bounced over to her friend and ducked under the umbrella, all traces of her previous seriousness gone. Elphaba just watched this transformation, her mind whizzing loudly in her head. Looking up at the umbrella she now held, she couldn't help but manage a small smile. The covering was pink, bright pink, certainly a trademark of her roommate. She made a mental note to thank Galinda properly this evening, when she got her voice back. The rain was still coming down but Elphaba stepped out into it now, hearing the drops hit and roll off the sides of the umbrella. Dr. Dillamond! Surely he must be wondering where she'd gotten off to. Making her way quickly to the chemical shed she gathered the Ozmatite and hurried back inside. Thinking it might look kind of weird if she walked in carrying a pink umbrella, Elphaba made a quick pit stop by their room, stopping for a moment to steal a quick glance in the mirror. Now she usually was never one for mirrors, thinking them as stupid things for girls like Galinda, girls who actually had something about themselves to admire. But something compelled her to stop today, and she dared to look, surprised at what she saw. The same thing everyone else must see, black outfit, green skin. But today, something was different. A pink umbrella rested over her right shoulder, twirling occasionally with a flick of Elphaba's wrist, the light from the room bouncing off of its' bright shade of pink. Quickly she threw the umbrella down onto the floor, as if it had burned her. But the thought that had flashed into her mind just then stayed, refusing to leave. Pink looks good with green.


	3. Something Has Changed Within Me

Disclaimer: Gee I get tired of writing these. Yeah so, still don't own anything, and doubtful that I ever will. So don't sue me, yada yada yada.

A/N: Sorry for the wait between updates. This week has been super busy with tests and dances. I like this chapter a lot and I hope you guys will as well. Thanks so much for you kind reviews, they motivate me to keep going!

* * *

Walking down a side street, Galinda tossed a frown at the clouds. Because without the sun, her outfit didn't have as much sparkle to it. The rain had slowed since the girls had reached the city, but the clouds still blocked the sun. Shenshen had talked her ear off the entire way here, no doubt excited about her own lunch date with Fiyero's mate Avaric. But Galinda hadn't listened to much of it. She couldn't get that image of Elphaba's skin turning red out of her mind. Her roommate was always so emotionally strong, never letting anything get to her. But she'd been in pain, Galinda had seen it with her own eyes. It was something with the water, maybe it had gotten in her eyes. It scared the blonde because Elphaba had looked so vulnerable, something Galinda certainly wasn't used to seeing.

"Here we are, how do I look?"

Shenshen did a feeble attempt at tossing her hair, one that wouldn't impress a rat, much less a boy.

"You look fine. What about me?"

Shenshen leaned forward and did something to a piece of Galinda's hair before sitting back with a satisfied smile on her face.

"You're good. Let's go shall we?"

The two girls linked arms and entered the restaurant, their eyes looking around for their respective dates. Fiyero and Avaric sat slouched in a booth over in the corner. Avaric was the first to notice the girls and wave them over. Shenshen immediately nestled herself against him, while Galinda was content just to allow an arm around herself.

"You look very nice Galinda."

Fiyero was such a smooth talker, and what was worse was that he knew it. Girls swooned over him and he didn't even have to try. Lunch went by fairly smoothly, with most of the conversation going between Shenshen, Avaric, and Fiyero. Galinda tried to talk and pay attention, but she found the boys much less interesting than they looked. Of course, they looked wonderful, but their personalities fell far short. It wasn't until Shenshen launched into a dramatic retelling of how Elphaba had stolen Galinda's umbrella that the blonde became interested.

"So it started to rain as we were walking here right? Out of nowhere, Galinda's horrible green roommate came running up to us in some sort of fit, cackling and all wide eyed. You should have seen her! There were these massive red welts all over her! She snatched the umbrella away from us and ran off. Poor Galinda, that was such a pretty umbrella and now she'll never get it back."

Fiyero and Avaric made apologetic faces and she felt the arm around her tighten protectively. Galinda wasn't sure what had changed so suddenly within her, but she sat up straight and looked Shenshen directly in the eye.

"That wasn't how it happened."

Shenshen just smiled and gave Galinda the floor, thinking the blonde could probably tell the story better anyway.

"Elphaba was hurt, something about the water bothered her. She was huddled under a tree trying to avoid getting wet, but she wasn't having much success. So I offered her my umbrella. She'll give it back to me later, after all, we are roommates aren't we?"

The small group at the booth had gone silent, as if they couldn't believe what they'd just heard. Was she sticking up for the green bean? Suddenly overcome by shyness, Galinda bowed her head and stood, brushing off Fiyero's arm. Shenshen rose as well.

"Where are you going?"

The blonde paused, her eyes finding those of her friends. Thinking fast was no something she was well known for, but she needed an excuse, and quickly.

"I… I've got a bit of a headache. I think I'll go lay down."

Miraculously, everyone seemed to buy it, though it wasn't entirely a lie. Galinda felt as though something had popped in her head, and it was certainly a strange feeling.

"Do you want me to escort you back to your dorm?"

Fiyero stood, trying to pull off the gentlemen act. She thought briefly about accepting his offer, but shook her head and declined.

"I'll be fine, thank you for a wonderful lunch."

And with that, she left, glad that it had stopped raining for she had no umbrella now. Her heels only let her go but so fast, and Galinda felt her head filling with all these new thoughts. She'd just backed up Elphaba, the green bean, the artichoke. But really, it was unfair for Shenshen to stir up such a lie, especially when she'd seen the truth. Galinda sighed deeply, troubled by what she was thinking. The story of what had just happened would surely get back to Shiz, and everyone would start asking her questions. How would she explain her actions? A sharp breeze carrying more rain drops blew against her back, urging her on. The blonde broke into a run as the rain began to fall again, slowly at first but by the time she reached the dorms, it was pouring. Finally she reached her room and pushed the door open, soaked to the bone. The bathroom door was closed and Galinda could hear movement behind it. She needed to change her clothes and fix her hair, what could Elphaba possibly be doing? Grabbing a new dress she knocked on the door.

"Elphaba?"

She heard the movement stop instantly and the green girl's voice came out quietly.

"Don't come in Galinda."

The tone was so simple and forced that Galinda became more worried about her roommate than she was about dripping water all over the carpet.

"Are you alright?"

There was movement again, then more silence.

"Elphaba I'm coming in!"

She didn't figure it would look too good if her roommate died while she just stood outside the door. Giving the knob a turn Galinda cracked the door open and peeked in, catching a bit Elphaba's reflection in the mirror. She didn't seem to be dying, so the blonde pushed the door all the way open. Elphaba was seated on a stool in front of the mirror, and multiple unmarked bottles were open on the counter. A washcloth lay rested in a green palm. The medicine cabinet was torn to pieces, as if looked through in a rush. But it wasn't until Galinda took a good look at her roommate's face that she realized what was really wrong. Huge red welts covered the green skin, some of the open and bleeding. The sight of the blood made the blonde feel weak around her knees, but she ignored it and rushed over to Elphaba. The green girl looked rather dejected and depressed, her head hung down a bit.

"Disgusting isn't it?"

Galinda shook her head, though she wasn't always the best at lying either. She just couldn't bring herself to talk, her words caught in her throat. Finally she managed some words, though feeble as they were, they were at least audible.

"How do you get those?"

Elphaba didn't look up to respond, but brought the wash cloth up to her face, dabbing the welts lightly.

"I'm allergic."

She couldn't believe she was telling Galinda this, but she figured after what had happened outside, it would be really obvious. Her blonde roommate however, didn't seem to get it.

"You have outdoor allergies?"

Usually her roommate's ditziness amused her, but the green girl was in too much pain to smirk. Any movement of her face right now just caused more of the welts to break open. Seeing her condition upon her return, Dr. Dillamond had insisted upon taking her to the nurse. She'd told him that the welts were nothing, but the Goat hadn't bought it. So they had compromised and Elphaba returned to her room after promising to care for herself. The welts were bad, worse than usual, but then again, she was usually better at avoiding the rain.

"No, I'm allergic to water Galinda."

Well, the blonde had heard lots of crazy things before, but this one was just ridiculous! How could she bathe or go swimming? But the welts didn't lie, Galinda had seen them form with her own eyes. Lord help her roommate if Shenshen ever got a hold of this fact.

"Oh that's awful! How do you bear it?"

Elphaba just shrugged, though she immediately regretted doing so. Forgetting that she was soaking wet herself, Galinda moved her hand to her roommate's shoulder. Elphaba, not expecting the physical contact nor the wetness of the touch, quickly jerked away. It took the blonde a second to realize that her hand was wet, then she to pulled away.

"God, sorry Elphie I -"

Galinda cut herself off, having realized her mistake and thinking she was due for at least a good glare. But Elphaba's expression didn't change, though she'd heard the nickname loud and clear. Raising her hand she brushed off the apology.

"It's alright."

The blonde couldn't believe she was going to get off this easy. Her confused expression must have been obvious because Elphaba managed a small smirk.

"Now I just have to come up with a nickname for you."

Galinda smiled, finding her roommate's comment amusing. Who knew, maybe there could be peace between them after all.


	4. Test of Truth

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything. Don't sue me.

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoy! Thanks for my wonderful reviewers, I love all the positive feedback I've been getting. I don't really like the ending to this chapter, but hopefully the next one will be better;

* * *

A knock on the door woke both girls early the next morning. Elphaba rolled over, her hair hanging roughly over her bandaged face. Surely the knock had been a figment of her imagination, for no one in their right mind would come to visit Galinda this early in the morning. But the knock came again, a hard couple of raps against the door. Groaning and mumbling the green girl rose out of bed, tossing a look over at her roommate who'd set herself up on her elbows, looking equally as disheveled. Oh she was going to murder whoever this was, curse them until their brain turned to-. Elphaba opened the door with a sharp glare, not expecting to see Madame Morrible standing there, her hand poised to knock again.

"Madame Morrible! What -"

Galinda had sat straight up and wrapped the covers around her chest modestly.

"Good morning Madame!"

But the headmistress had no time for such greetings. She ignored both girls and instead motioned for them to come close to her.

"If you would both follow me please."

The seriousness of the older woman's tone worried the girls, so both followed her without question. The halls were silent and the cold stone floors made them both wish they'd brought a jacket. Madame Morrible led them to her office and pointed to a pair of chairs in front of her desk.

"Sit please."

The voice was commanding, and the two girls immediately did so. The headmistress sat herself in a large chair behind the desk and looped her fingers in front of her, a strict gaze set upon Elphaba.

"It was brought to my attention last night that a girl returning from town was attacked as she neared school grounds. I believe you both know Miss. Shenshen?"

Galinda gasped and covered her mouth with a hand. Seeing her distress, Madame Morrible spoke again.

"Rest assured that she will fully recover, I know how worried you both are."

Her gaze increased on Elphaba, who's face had grown quite cold. She didn't give a flying monkey's ass about Shenshen, the girl was as wicked as anyone could be, and certainly deserved whatever injuries she'd sustained. The headmistress continued on, her eyes never leaving the green girl's hazel ones.

"Miss. Shenshen was kind enough to talk to me in the nurse's ward last night. She informed me that she was returning from a lunch date. Is this correct Miss. Galinda?"

The blonde nodded, her face giving away how horrified she was. She never should have let Shenshen come home by herself, and was surprised that Avaric hadn't insisted upon that himself. Madame Morrible continued, her gaze only briefly leaving Elphaba.

"She also told me that her attacker was cloaked when they advanced upon her. But she did mention something to me that I thought was particularly useful."

Galinda inched forward in her chair, eager to hear a clue as to who had attacked her best friend.

"And what was that Madame?"

Elphaba looked over at her roommate, not finding it hard to believe that the blonde was taking Shenshen's side. The headmistress bent forward on her desk, and when the green girl looked back around, she was met by one of the most intense gazes she'd ever seen. Never one to back down from such a challenge, she returned the look.

"Miss. Shenshen told me that when her attacker drew back with intent to strike, that she swore she saw a flash of green upon the hand."

Elphaba's eyes went wide, as she was fully aware of what was being said. Shenshen was framing her! The green girl felt her blood begin to boil at the thought of that stupid prep getting her in serious trouble for something she hadn't even done. Galinda took a moment to understand the situation, and when she did, she shot up from her chair and turned towards her roommate.

"Elphie! How could you?"

Quick to defend herself, Elphaba stood as well, using her height as an advantage over the shorter blonde. Madame Morrible sat back in her chair, a bit surprised by the sudden outburst.

"I didn't do anything!"

No one seemed to believe her, so Elphaba grabbed her roommate by the shoulders and leaned in a bit to emphasis her point.

"Galinda, listen to me! You were with me all evening, how could I have gotten out without you noticing?"

This seemed to be a valid point, but the blonde remembered something that threw her roommate off.

"I took one of my long baths last night. You could have gone out while I was in the bathroom."

Elphaba couldn't argue with this. She could only hope that Galinda could see past the lie that her friend was setting up. Madame Morrible continued on.

"Please take your seats ladies."

Both sat grudgingly, the blonde still looking rather angry. Shenshen was so innocent, who would want to hurt her? She refused to look at her roommate, not able to believe that the green girl would attack someone. She'd always been anti-social yes, but never violent. It just didn't seem right, but she was going to believe Shenshen, for her friend's evidence certainly narrowed down the list of suspects.

"Now Miss. Elphaba, this is a very serious offence that merit's a punishment equaling expulsion."

She was going to be expelled? Now how in the world was this fair? The next time she saw that girl, she'd really give her an attack worth expelling her over!

"But lucky for you, Miss. Shenshen is an extremely forgiving soul. She has requested that you simply be kept from your classes for one week."

Elphaba had sat up straight again upon hearing her punishment.

"How will I get my work? I'll fall so far behind that you'll have to expel me!"

The green girl was fuming, Galinda could tell by her pursed lips and narrowed eyes. She began to pity Shenshen, for who knew what kind of treatment awaited her now with Elphaba so angry.

"Perhaps you should have considered that before you attacked an innocent girl Miss. Elphaba. Your father will be notified shortly. I only dare to imagine his reaction… You're dismissed ladies."

By the time Galinda had risen from her chair, Elphaba was out the door. When the blonde got back to the room, she could hear objects being thrown about and mumbled curses through the door. Taking a deep breath she entered, and the green girl's gaze fell immediately upon her. There were red trails down her cheeks, which could only mean that she'd been crying. The blonde had never seen her roommate cry before, and she suddenly felt the entire weight of Elphaba's world pushed upon her. In that moment, Galinda knew that the green girl was innocent.

"Elphaba I -"

But she didn't want to hear it.

"You've picked your side Galinda, now stay over there."

The green girl's tone was spoken so shakily that the blonde felt her tremble. She had trouble finding her voice, and when she did, it was extremely weak.

"You're innocent, I know that."

This seemed to trigger something in Elphaba, who immediately became more alert. Taking to menacing steps towards the blonde, she watched Galinda shrink back from her.

"You know I'm innocent and yet you sat there and let me get blamed? Wow Galinda, what a great friend you are!"

The sarcasm dripped from her last sentence like venom, and the blonde frowned, knowing the words to be true.

"I know, I'm sorry Elphaba! I'll go talk to Shenshen and get her to stay that it wasn't you."

But that apparently wasn't good enough. The green girl stepped back, making her roommate far more comfortable.

"No, I'm going to talk to your little friend myself. If she wants an attack, I'll give her one!"

Now it was Galinda's turn to step forward, which made Elphaba eye her curiously.

"You mustn't!"

The blonde seemed so urgent with her words that the green girl actually reconsidered attacking Shenshen. But that anger was still there, and she needed to act on it. Shaking her head Elphaba stormed past Galinda, not expecting to be stopped by a hand grabbing her own. The green girl turned and looked from their joined hands to her roommate's face, which still persisted.

"Elphie please, for me, don't."

No wonder Galinda got whatever she wanted. Who could resist that face? Elphaba sighed, knowing that the longer she looked into those blue eyes, the less of a chance there was that she would actually leave.

"Fine… but you better talk to her for me."

The blonde smiled and nodded in agreement.

"I will, I promise."

Their hands were still joined, and upon realizing this, both girls quickly let go. Galinda blushed and turned away to go brush her hair. Elphaba just stood there, a small smile on her face, her hand warm and tingling. She'd never swayed her opinions around anyone else before, so why now had she done so? And suddenly, she didn't feel so angry anymore.


	5. Operation Galinda

Disclaimer: Really, how many of these things do we have to write? Wicked is not mine, don't sue me, yada yada yada

A/N: I'm sorry for the long wait between chapters, I've been busy with exams. But now summer is HERE!! WEEE!! So yeah, I got kind of um…. Evil in this chapter but you'll see and things will work out, I promise you. Keep reading and reviewing, I love it!

* * *

Galinda said that she talked to Shenshen, who'd been released from the nurse's ward a day earlier. She said that the girl would eventually forgive her, but would be better off if the green girl remained out of classes for the week. Madame Morrible agreed, in fact, the headmistress considered the punishment to be far too lax for the crime. And so Elphaba had taken to the library for the day, content only after her roommate had promised to bring her the work from her classes. Not that that would be as good as actually attending the class, but she'd have to take what she could get. At least the work would get done, and besides, it was just for a week, how bad could that be? But the more she thought about it, the more depressed she became. An entire week of just sitting in the library… Elphaba slumped in her chair, her mind content to plot ways to get back at Shenshen without actually attacking her. And though none of her ideas were as satisfying, there were some interesting alternatives involving some fun curses. This brought a smirk to the green girl's face. The librarian, an old wizened lady, had noticed Elphaba sitting there, and recognized her from the girl's many previous trips here. What would such a smart student be doing here during classes? Approaching slowly with a small smile, the librarian stopped in front of the chair.

"Why Miss Elphaba, shouldn't you be in class?"

Elphaba had spoken with the old woman a few times before, and so she acknowledged the woman politely.

"I should, yes."

The librarian gave the green girl a minute, hoping that she would explain without any further prompting. Apparently the old woman was the one in the entire school who hadn't heard about the "attack". Elphaba didn't really feel like telling the whole story and so remained silent, leaving the librarian in an awkward situation. She had no choice but to prod a bit.

"And why aren't you in class then?"

The green girl rolled her eyes, a move that was missed by the woman.

"I got in a bit of trouble, no big deal."

Now the librarian didn't now Elphaba at all, but she didn't seem like the kind of girl to cause trouble in her classes. The green girl had made it quite clear however that she didn't want to discuss the matter any further.

"Well, if you need help finding anything, let me know."

Elphaba nodded, her eyes darting back down to the book open on her lap. Whether she showed it or not, she did appreciate the librarian dropping the subject. Not that she really cared about her reputation, but people had given her more dirty looks than usual in the last two days. She slouched further down into her chair, feeling her mood falter. Not even her book could raise her spirit's the way reading usually did. But she must have gotten deeper into the story than she thought, because the ringing of the bell to end classes startled her. She may as well head back to her room, at least there she could get her work from Galinda. The green girl finished the chapter she'd been on and gathered her few belongings into her bag, rising to return the book to its' shelf. What she didn't expect to see was Shenshen standing where the book should go and looking her way. Elphaba had a choice now. She could ignore her, or confront her. And with her promise to Galinda ringing in the back of her head, the green girl chose the latter. Walking forward she stopped directly in front of Shenshen and motioned to the shelf.

"You're in my way."

The statement was simply worded, but held many secret meanings that passed between the girls. Shenshen frowned and crossed her arms, refusing to move.

"You'll be spending plenty of time in the library Miss Elphaba, do you really have to put the book back now?"

The green girl balled her free hand into a fist, but such fighting wasn't her way. Oh no, she played much dirtier than that.

"What do you want Shenshen?"

The girl shrugged as if she didn't know, a fake innocence to the smile that was now on her face. But it was obvious that she wanted something, for she wouldn't be here if she didn't. Elphaba was about ready to leave when suddenly, Shenshen got right in her face, though she had to look up in order to make eye contact.

"You listen to me you piece of dried broccoli! She's mine, and nothing you can do is going to change that. So back off and stick to your books, cause she's too good for you and we'll always be better than you. Got it?"

There were no names exchanged, but Elphaba knew exactly who they were talking about. Galinda was Shenshen's best friend, and obviously she was feeling threatened by the little amount of contact between the roommates. This thought gave Elphaba a small sense of empowerment, but the more she thought about what else had been said, the more she realized that the words were true, at least partially. They may not be better, but they certainly were different, and such differences shouldn't be mixed.

"Get out Shenshen."

The girl tossed one more glare in Elphaba's direction before turning away to leave. The green girl returned the book to the shelf, slung her bag roughly over her shoulder, and left as well, headed back towards her room. Galinda had just arrived back and swung around as the door opened, revealing her roommate.

"Hey Elphie."

The greeting went unanswered, which usually Galinda would just brush off because at least before, they'd never talked anyways. But they were supposed to be friends now weren't they? So the blonde tried again.

"I got your work for you, it's over there on -"

She stopped as Elphaba had already reached the large stack of papers, picked them up, and sat on her bed to leaf through them, her back to Galinda.

"the desk…"

She trailed off quietly, not liking such a huge lack of attention.

"Would you please tell me what's wrong Elphie?"

The green girl sat motionless for a moment before simply shrugging her shoulders.

"Nothing you would understand."

She immediately regretted using the tone, and without even looking at he roommate, Elphaba could tell how hurt the blonde was. It wasn't Galinda's fault that Shenshen acted the way she did. Turning around on the bed, the green girl tried to make amends to her roommate, who seemed as if she might cry.

"Galinda I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It's just… I ran into your little friend just now in the library."

The blonde looked confused for a moment as to which friend they were talking about.

"Shenshen?"

Elphaba couldn't resist the urge to be sarcastic.

"No the Wizard! Of course Shenshen!"

Galinda didn't appreciate the sarcasm but let it go, seeing as there was a bigger issue to press.

"Why would Shenshen be in the library? She never studies…"

The green girl didn't think she could ever not be amused by such comments. They never failed to make her laugh, and this time was no exception. The blonde furrowed her brow, not sure of what she'd said that was so funny.

"She wasn't studying Galinda, she came to talk to me."

Once it was made obvious to her, Galinda understood, and now leaned forward in interest.

"Really? What did she say?"

Elphaba suddenly got a funny feeling that seemed to spread throughout her entire body. This must be what normal girls feel like. Here she was, for once in her life, about to act like a normal girl! Wouldn't her father be proud! Sitting on her bed, about to gossip with her roommate… how weird was that? Is this all she was missing out on? Was it worth telling the story and keeping Galinda's attention when she knew it would cause problems between the blonde and her friend? There it was, the perfect way to get back at Shenshen was looking directly at her, why hadn't she seen it before? Everything was crystal clear now, and Elphaba couldn't help but smile as her plan began to take shape in her mind.

"Elphie?"

She must have been staring off into space, because her roommate's voice brought her sharply back to earth.

"What?"

Now it was Galinda's turn to laugh, as she made it obvious that such gossip greatly interested her.

"What did she say?"

Elphaba thought for a moment about what she could say. If she told the truth, that could cause a potential riff between the two friends. And although that was what she eventually wanted, she wanted it through different means. She knew that whatever she told Galinda would quickly get back to Shenshen, so had to stay cautious.

"Oh, she just said to me basically what she said to you. That I should stay out of my classes and give her some time to forgive me."

Galinda sat back on her own bed, seemingly disappointed with the lack of juicy information.

"Well she could've avoided the confrontation. I told her that'd I'd talk to you for her."

Elphaba just shrugged again and turned back to the large pile of work next to her, her mind whirling. If everything went as she planned, Shenshen would regret framing her. And best of all, she didn't have to break her promise to Galinda. Her attack on Shenshen wouldn't be a physical one, oh no. Attacking the girl's emotions would be far more satisfying. As Elphaba lifted up the first page to read it, she smiled. Let Operation Galinda commence.


	6. Pop Quiz

Disclaimer: Yup, still not mine. None of the characters, settings, people, etc.

A/N: Okay so thank you all my readers who waited for this next chapter! I have a hard time writing during summer because school keeps my muse up. But school is back, as is the story! You'll have to excuse this chapter though, it might take me a little bit to get back into character for these two wonderful women. R&R please :D

* * *

For the next few days, Elphaba spent her time in the library letting her mind wrap around this plan. It wouldn't be easy, that was for sure, but if this would get back at Shenshen, then she was up to the challenge. The plan seemed simple enough. Spend more time with Galinda, get the blonde to fully embrace their friendship, and fuel Shenshen's jealousy. But there were so many factors that could influence this, and Elphaba knew she had to be careful. If even one thing went wrong, the whole plan would blow up in her face. And if it did, she would have no choice but to retreat back to her solitude. Galinda would hate her, Shenshen would float for years to come, and Elphaba would, once more, be the most hated thing at Shiz. The days at the library began moving faster as the green girl found a way to occupy her time, thinking of every potential situation that could arise from this plan. There were some pretty awful ones, but Elphaba was willing to take the risk if it meant getting back at Shenshen. She wasn't willing to sit back and accept the unfairness of it anymore. Now she wasn't going to go out and plot against every person who'd ever offended her, but this time, it was just too easy. Shenshen had showed a weakness, and she was going to exploit it. But one thing Elphaba knew she'd have to be super careful about, was Galinda. The blonde had remained blissfully unaware of her roommate's baby steps towards friendship thus far, but could not be underestimated. One wrong move and everything she'd accomplished would be gone. This plan of hers had just about consumed her mind. She thought about it at lunch, while she was reading, and at night when she'd be finishing her work up. It was all she could think about, and Elphaba couldn't remember a time when she'd been so dedicated to something besides school work. Why did she care so much? She wasn't even sure. Just another thing for her to figure out. As the week finished and the green girl was allowed back into her classes, she made her first move. It was breakfast time on Monday morning, and Elphaba rose earlier than usual, excited about her return to class. The sky outside was still dark, barely a hint of color visible on the horizon. Galinda slept quietly, her body turned onto its' side, facing away from her roommate. Elphaba watched her briefly, wondering if the blonde knew what she was planning. The sound of her alarm clock broke the silence abruptly and the green girl dove across her bed to silence it. But she didn't reach it in time, as she heard her roommate groan and roll over, pulling half the blankets with her.

"What in Oz's name are you getting up this early for?"

Galinda's voice was husky and sleep-filled, and her eyes were still closed as if she were hoping to fall back asleep at any moment.

"Sorry, I thought I turned it off when I got up."

The blonde cracked an eye open and looked at her unbelievably.

"You're already up? What time is it?"

Elphaba glanced over at her clock, cringing as she realized just how early it was.

"Four thirty. I didn't mean to wake you, go back to sleep."

Galinda thought about it but groaned again and shook her head.

"I'm already awake. And you didn't answer my question, what are you doing up?"

Elphaba was surprised that her roommate was giving up valuable beauty sleep to interrogate her. Pulling herself off the bed, the green girl straightened her night frock and walked over the her desk, sitting in the chair and spinning to face the blonde.

"I couldn't sleep."

She gave the simple answer, trying to spare herself the embarrassment of saying the real reason.

"You come back to classes today, could that be why?"

Elphaba rolled her eyes and twirled the chair around so now her back was facing her roommate.

"Oz Galinda, what's with the questions?"

The blonde would have continued if she hadn't been so tired. Shutting her eyes, she took a deep breath and rolled onto her back.

"Sorry Elphie."

As hard as it was for the green girl to admit, she'd kind of accepted the nickname. Especially now with her plan in place, it was something that connected them, and she'd pegged the name as the start of their extremely unlikely friendship. Elphaba didn't respond, nor did she move from her chair as Galinda slowly got out of bed and went into the bathroom. The sun was peeking over the horizon now and as light began to fill the room, the green girl turned back around to view the now empty room, as if this were just any other morning. Elphaba took a few minutes to run a brush through her hair and change clothes, but still her roommate had yet to emerge. Thirty minutes and four chapters into her book later, the blonde finally came out, every hair perfectly in place, each crease in her dress set at just the right place to accent every curve. Today, Elphaba figured, must be a Fiyero day. Galinda tossed an empty makeup compact onto her bed and picked up her handbag, looking towards her green roommate.

"Well I'm off to breakfast, see you tonight."

Elphaba quickly rose from the her chair, eager to see the first leg of her plan go into action.

"Actually I was just going down myself."

The blonde paused, looking a bit surprised. They had never walked to breakfast together. After all, it was just socially unacceptable for her to be seen with the green bean. At least it had been before. But she'd given her roommate a nickname, and that was a symbol of friendship right? Knocking the surprised look off her face, Galinda turned and pulled open the door to the room.

"Well, we should go then, don't wanna be late."

Elphaba smirked, knowing full well that she'd successfully got her roommate flustered. There was no way they could be late seeing as breakfast had just started about ten minutes ago. But she kept her mouth shut, grabbed her book off the desk, and followed the blonde through the door, shutting it behind her. The walk to the cafeteria was just as awkward as the conversation preceding it. The two girls walked side-by-side, their eyes averted down to the floor, both unsure of what to say that could make the situation any better. Finally they reached the large room, and neither girl was surprised to be see it practically empty. Elphaba, however, was shocked to see Shenshen seated at a table a little ways across the room. What in the world was she doing here? Galinda hadn't noticed her yet, but as the two girls entered the breakfast line, the blonde realized her friend was there. Leaning over to her roommate, she lowered her voice down to a whisper.

"Elphie, Shenshen's here."

The green girl attributed the shiver she felt to the coldness of the room, and nodded in response.

"Yeah, I saw her."

Galinda looked torn as to what to do, and Elphaba quickly realized that even though this wasn't a part of her plan, she could still use this to her advantage. The girls filled their trays and exited the line, and by this time, Shenshen had noticed them and approached, her eyes narrowed towards Elphaba.

"I didn't know they were serving green beans for breakfast Miss Galinda, you must have gotten the last one. And look, it doesn't even fit on a tray."

Elphaba felt her cheeks burn and took a breath in as if to retort, but was interrupted by her blonde roommate.

"We're just here for breakfast Shenshen."

The girl's eyes moved to Galinda with a lighter touch, as there was no need for hard glares between friends.

"Come on Galinda, I hear there's a nice view by the river this morning."

The blonde faltered, a move that surprised both Elphaba and Shenshen. Only two weeks before, the choice would have been instantaneous. But in that one moment of hesitation, Operation Galinda skyrocketed off the ground.

"Actually I'm feeling a bit under the weather. I think I'm going to return to bed for a little while before classes begin. Perhaps this afternoon."

Shenshen accepted this grudgingly, with one more sly look at the green girl as if this whole thing was her fault.

"We'll talk at lunch then. Good day Miss Galinda."

The blonde gave her farewell with a small wave. Elphaba quickly knocked the surprised look off her face as her roommate turned towards her.

"I guess I'm going back upstairs. Have fun in your classes today."

Galinda moved to walk away but Elphaba stopped her with a quick move.

"Galinda, are you really feeling bad?"

It was an upfront question, as the green girl was never one to beat around the bush with her words. For a moment, the blonde looked a bit disorientated, but a moment later responded.

"Yes, I suppose I am."

And in a flurry of motion, Galinda left, leaving her green roommate standing there dumbfounded in the almost empty cafeteria. Slowly the other people in the room began their conversations again, trying to act as though they hadn't been listening in to the three girl's conversation. But how could they not have? The ongoing fight between Shenshen and that strange green girl had been the talk of the school since the attack. Elphaba quickly reorganized herself and found and empty table with ease, setting her book in front of her to read as she ate. But no matter how hard she tried to get into her reading, she couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. And the more she thought about it, the harder her smile was to contain. Galinda may not be a star student at Shiz, but for this first pop quiz, she'd passed with flying colors.

* * *

A/N: So yeah, there you go :D And I have a favor to ask you readers. I'm looking for ideas to incorporate into this story, so if you've got one, drop me a line and let me know!__


	7. A Bunch of Stupids

Disclaimer: Yup, still not mine. None of the characters, settings, people, etc.

A/N: So here's my next chapter. Please email me at if you have any ideas as to drama I could set up in the coming chapters, as I'm running a bit low on ideas at the moment. Any input would be greatly appreciated! Enjoy!

* * *

Elphaba couldn't remember ever having more fun in her classes. The day practically flew by, and before she knew it, the final bell was ringing to dismiss classes. The hallways were extremely crowded, and the green girl wove her way between groups of chattering people, moving relatively unnoticed until a hand reached out from one of the groups to touch her arm.

"Hey Elphie!"

Elphaba's eyes moved slowly up from the hand on her arm, to the blonde's face, which was adorned with a smile. The chatter in the group around them had died off almost instantly, and everyone's attention was focused solely on the two girls. She was surprised that Galinda had addressed her in public so soon. Elphaba hadn't been expecting this until at least phase six or seven.

"Uh… hello Miss Galinda."

Even though she hadn't yet thought of a nickname for the blonde, Elphaba wasn't nearly as comfortable using their "common" names in this situation as her roommate appeared to be. Galinda removed her hand from the green girl's arm, turned back to the group, and promptly excused herself to turn back towards her roommate. Taking a few steps down the hallway, inviting Elphaba to walk with her, which she did.

"How were your classes?"

The green girl hugged her books to her chest as they walked, not even sure where the blonde intended on going. But regardless, she kept pace with the shorter girl easily.

"They were alright I guess, it felt good to be back."

Galinda nodded along, a small bounce in her step.

"And now I don't have to get your work anymore!"

The blonde added a dainty little laugh to the end of the sentence that made Elphaba shoot her a funny look.

"So you wanna tell me what's got you so happy?"

Galinda returned the look, though her large smile was still apparent on her face. The green girl could see that her roommate was hiding something.

"It's just been a good day. Does a girl need a reason to be happy?"

Elphaba shrugged her shoulders, still not convinced that Galinda was entirely innocent.

"I suppose not. But you're happier than usual and that scares me."

The blonde gave her roommate a playful smack on the arm with her hand, skipping ahead a few paces.

"Maybe it's because, oh I don't know… Fiyero asked me to the social!"

Galinda practically screamed the last part of her sentence, her whole face breaking into a huge smile. Elphaba was instantly reminded of a volcano, with all that pressure just building and building until it finally exploded. She should have known that her roommate's excitement stemmed from that Winkie prince.

"Gee, congrats Galinda."

Elphaba's tone had fallen a considerable bit and this didn't go unnoticed.

"I should find you someone to go with!"

The blonde seemed way too serious about her idea, and Elphaba burst into a cold laughter, faking wiping away tears away from the corners of her eyes. Galinda's smile faltered at her roommate's reaction. The green girl stopped her laughing long enough to explain.

"Thanks but, I don't want to go to that stupid thing anyway."

The girls had reached the door to their room but as Elphaba reached for the knob, Galinda stepped in front of her, blocking the way.

"It's not stupid Elphie."

The blonde's serious tone surprised her, but the green girl just leaned against the wall and took it in stride, used to dealing with such people.

"Yes it is. It's just a bunch of people doing stupid dances, listening to stupid music, and eating stupid food. It's an excuse to get dressed up and stay up late."

Galinda frowned and planted her hands on her hips, not at all pleased with the description.

"Well I happen to be one of those people who likes doing those stupid things. Excuse me for having fun in a way that doesn't involve reading a stupid book."

The blonde had hit home with her last comment but Elphaba kept her mouth shut, refusing to continue. Arguing was not a part of her plan, and would only undo everything she'd obtained thus far.

"Can we just go inside? These aren't light you know."

Her books now hung at her side and her arm was getting tired from carrying them. Galinda grudgingly obliged and opened the door, heading straight for the bathroom. Arguments always made the blonde upset, and heaven forbid she let tears ruin her makeup. Elphaba entered behind her, dropped her books down rather forcefully on her desk, and fell back onto her bed, letting out a loud sigh. For a day that had started out so well, things had definitely gone downhill. Galinda came out a minute or two later and grabbed her purse off her bed.

"I'm going out, please don't do anything foolish while I'm gone."

The tone was one of forced politeness, and as hard as Elphaba tried to keep her mouth shut, the urge to retort was just too strong.

"What am I? Your child now? I'll do whatever I damn well please while you're gone Galinda!"

The blonde felt her own temper bubble once more, and tears threatened to form at the corners of her eyes.

"All I'm asking Elphie, is that you try not to get in any more trouble!"

Elphaba sat up on her bed, hazel eyes narrowed in her roommate's direction.

"I wouldn't have been in trouble at all if your little friend hadn't been so jealous of -"

The green girl promptly cut herself off as Galinda's eyes had gone wide.

"Jealous of what?"

The blonde's voice had quieted a great deal as she waited to see if her green roommate would answer the question. She didn't. Elphaba's gaze had dropped to her lap as she realized her mistake. Galinda walked slowly over to where the green girl sat slouched on her bed, and seated herself next to her, now talking softly.

"Jealous of us?"

Elphaba nodded, though her eyes didn't lift. The blonde took a moment to think about what had just been revealed. Shenshen was upset that she and her roommate were getting along? That didn't make good sense. In fact, it didn't make any sense at all. She must feel like she was being replaced. Galinda remembered this morning's events in the cafeteria clearly.

"Well she should be I suppose."

At this, Elphaba's head turned in the blonde's direction.

"What?"

Galinda met her roommate's eyes.

"I mean, roommates are supposed to be close. We live together for Oz's sake! Shenshen may be my friend, but I'd never be able to live with her without murdering her."

Elphaba was a bit confused, but at least understood most of the blonde's reasoning.

"You mean you don't want to murder me?"

She raised an eyebrow curiously as she asked, finding it extremely hard to believe that Galinda didn't at some point want to kill her as well. The blonde laughed and shook her head.

"Oh don't get me wrong, I've wanted to murder you a few times before. But that's to be expected. If I lived with Shenshen, we'd be fighting all the time because we're very similar people. But me and you are pretty opposite, at least a little bit."

Now it was Elphaba's turn to laugh at her roommate's attempt at a joke.

"Yeah, only a little bit."

The green girl agreed with a smile, her mood improving tenfold. Galinda nodded along and sighed, letting out a whose of her remaining pent up hot air. The silence between them was, for once, not awkward or full of anger, but instead had a nice feeling of contentment. Elphaba closed her eyes for a moment, experiencing the drop off of emotions after their earlier yelling match. Galinda must have been feeling this same thing, because she leaned her head over onto her roommate's shoulder. Elphaba snapped her eyes open and glanced down at the head of blonde hair rested on her shoulder.

"Elphie, I know we don't always get along, but I am glad you're my roommate."

The green girl smiled, and though she made no attempt to initiate more contact between them, didn't move away either.

"Me too Galinda, me too."

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Remember to drop me a line with your ideas :D


	8. One Day, You'll See

Disclaimer: Yup, still not mine. None of the characters, settings, people, etc.

A/N: I didn't like this chapter starting out, but it gets better as it goes along, and I really liked writing the ending. Enjoy :D

* * *

Several days later, as the big Shiz social neared, Galinda got more and more excited. Each morning she would awake with a giggle, ready herself for class with bouncy steps, and return to the room that afternoon with a large smile. The fact that Fiyero had invited her to the social had become the new talk of the school, and everyone assumed that there was something more serious going on between the two. Not even Elphaba, despite her best efforts, could escape this new wave of gossip. She couldn't ignore the jealous whispers of the other girls in the hallway, nor could she overlook her blonde roommate's obvious delight. Galinda seemed to radiate happiness, but not even being around her could raise the green girl's mood. Elphaba found herself as unhappy as the blonde was happy, though she attributed this to the rainy days that had recently settled into the area. No one but Galinda could avoid the slump that comes naturally when the skies are gray instead of blue. It was one of those rainy nights, and the two girls sat quietly at their respective desks, listening to the rain splash against the window. Elphaba wrote furiously, the scratching of her pencil on the paper breaking the silence. Galinda on the other hand, sat picking at her nails, making a soft clicking sound to go along with the scratching and the rain. The blonde had noticed her roommate's surly attitude, but had to wonder whether it was smart of not to ask about it. Well, even if it wasn't so smart, anything was better than this silence. Spinning around in her chair, Galinda could only see her roommate's hunched back.

"Remember, I said I could find someone to go with you."

Elphaba's hand ceased motion briefly, though she didn't turn away from her work.

"I don't want to go Galinda. And even if I did, which I don't, no one would go with me, not even if you asked them."

The blonde frowned and shook her head to disagree, even though the green girl couldn't' see her.

"That's not true Elphie!"

At this, Elphaba turned in her chair to face her roommate with a look of sarcastic disbelief.

"Name one guy then."

Galinda hesitated, racking her mind for a reasonable answer. Most of the guys she knew either already had a date, or were scared to death of her roommate's green skin. But miraculously, she managed to come up with a name.

"What about Boq?"

Well, Elphaba had to admit that the blonde had found probably the only believable name out of the entire school.

"That's true enough I guess. That boy would poison himself if you asked him to."

Galinda's face broke into that all too familiar smile, and the green girl immediately regretted agreeing with the blonde.

"So I'll ask him then!"

She could barely stay in her chair with all her excitement, and Elphaba quickly shook her head.

"Don't! really, I have no desire whatsoever to go to this thing."

Galinda's smile dropped, disappointment obvious on her face.

"But I want you to go Elphie! You'd have fun!"

The persuasion wasn't enough. Elphaba turned back around, finding this conversation extremely distracting. Her hand began to write again, and she could hear the blonde's frustrated sigh.

"I really don't think I would. I would just end up standing there awkwardly while everyone else points, whispers, and laughs."

Galinda felt a bit of pity for her roommate, but chose not to voice it. Instead, she kept trying to convince the green girl that the social would, in fact, be fun.

"I wouldn't be pointing, whispering, or laughing. And neither would anyone else, because you'd be standing with me."

Elphaba didn't turn back around, and her hand continued to glide across the paper, but she still responded in an explanatory tone.

"They'd be doing all those things even more if I stood with you. And besides, you'll be dancing with Fiyero, you won't have any spare attention to give to me."

Elphaba wasn't sure why she was wallowing in a pool of self-pity this evening, as she wasn't usually one to put herself down. Again though, she blamed it on the now black night sky and fell silent. Galinda too, got quiet, unsure of what she could say in response. Fiyero would demand a good bit of her attention; she could pretty much assume that he wouldn't want to stand there and watch her talk to someone else. Especially if that someone was Elphaba.

"I really want you to be there."

The blonde's volume had dropped so that her voice was very soft. Elphaba got the impression that, though she knew little about Galinda's upbringing, her roommate had grown accustomed to getting whatever she wanted. But the green girl refused to give in to such childish antics, and so didn't respond. Galinda turned back to her desk with a small huff.

"Will you at least help me pick out a dress?"

Elphaba's eyes went a little wider than usual, and her hand stopped writing again.

"You seriously want me to offer you fashion advice?"

She couldn't quite believe that the blonde was asking her for help with this. After all, it really wasn't her forte. Sure, for the sake of the plan, she'd manage to b.s. something if she had to, but she certainly wouldn't enjoy it. Galinda seemed to pause for a minute, as if rethinking her offer, but she stuck with it.

"Well, Shenshen's decided to run off with some boy for the thing, and I figured maybe since you weren't planning on doing anything, you wouldn't mind helping."

Elphaba rolled her eyes, not liking the explanation.

"You make it sound as if I spend my time sitting around doing nothing. I'm very busy you know."

Galinda nodded in understanding.

"I know, that wasn't how I meant it. Forget I asked, you don't care anyway."

The blonde had never been a patient person, and she quickly grew tired of her roommate's literal translations. Elphaba spun in her chair again and shook her head.

"Stop being dramatic. I do care, and if it means that much to you, I'll help you pick out a dress."

There was an apparent lack of enthusiasm in the green girl's voice, but Galinda would take what she could get.

"Thanks Elphie, I'll try not to torture you too much."

Elphaba laughed quietly and turned back around to face her desk, a small smile on her face.

"No promises though, my dress picking skills aren't amazing."

Galinda had turned to face her own desk, if you could call it that. Really it was more of a perfume-scented pink vanity that happened to house some paper and a stray pen or two.

"It's alright, I just need another opinion. You don't have to do anything besides sit there and tell me good or bad for the ones I try on."

It certainly seemed like an easy enough task, so Elphaba decided she didn't have much to complain about. Really, how hard could it be? She'd always been good at offering opinions. Closing her book, the green girl rose from her chair and flopped down on her bed, finding the sound of the rain on the window comforting. Galinda smiled softly and shut her own eyes.

"This is nice."

Elphaba responded with a small smile of her own, and a quiet mhm-hm. It was a pleasant moment, she had to admit.

"Hey Elphie?"

There wasn't any response, so Galinda continued on anyway.

"Do you ever think about what you'll do after we leave Shiz?"

Elphaba opened her eyes and looked over at her blonde roommate.

"I try not to."

Galinda furrowed her brow, confused by the answer.

"Why not?"

The green girl sighed and looked back at the ceiling.

"It's just not something I like thinking about is all."

A short silence feel between them as Galinda sensed her roommate's uneasiness regarding the topic. Rising from her own chair, she sat back on her bed, leaned up against her many pillows.

"I want to travel, see some things, just get out and have some fun you know?"

Elphaba nodded, understanding the blonde's desire to get out of here. For some reason though, she'd always imagined her roommate as a more homely person instead of someone who wanted to travel.

"I wouldn't mind traveling either."

A particularly strong gust of wind blew against the window, bringing with it sheets of rain. Galinda propped herself up a bit on her pillows and looked over at the green girl.

"Where would you go?"

Elphaba shrugged, as she hadn't really spent a whole lot of time thinking about it. Because as she'd said a moment ago, she didn't like thinking about what was ahead of her. It was a little scary, though she didn't plan on admitting that.

"Who knows? Anywhere would be fine."

The blonde returned her gaze to the ceiling, watching their lamp light flicker on the tile.

"I want to see the Emerald City, and take one of those tours of the Wizard's palace."

The green girl nodded in agreement. Seeing the Emerald City would be pretty cool, and she certainly would fit in well seeing as the whole city was made up of different shades of green.

"The Wizard's palace huh?"

Elphaba thought it was a little funny that the blonde was such a stereotypical tourist.

"I think it'd be cool to see how he lives. And you never know, he might be lonely and want some company."

At this, the green girl couldn't hold back her laughter.

"Oh please Galinda, that man is probably at least three times our age. Why would he want the company of such a young girl?"

She paused, suddenly realizing the answer to her own question, and blushed. Galinda began laughing, and rolled over onto her side, facing her roommate, her mouth poised to answer. Elphaba however, held up her hand to stop the blonde from speaking.

"Actually, don't answer that."

Galinda's laughter quietly naturally and the smile remained on her face.

"Just think about it Elphie, I could be Queen of Oz! How exciting!"

Elphaba shuddered, contorting her face so that she appeared to be disgusted.

"Galinda, you are nineteen years old, and you would be willing to give yourself to some old man just for a title?"

Now that she thought about it, the blonde shuddered as well, though she still smiled.

"Well I wouldn't sleep with him Elphie! I could just be the Queen and, you know, his best friend or something."

Elphaba laughed again, not able to believe they were laying here talking about this. Still, it was rather entertaining.

"That's not really how it works, but if you want to be the Queen of Oz and the Wizard's best friend, then go for it. Just remember who supported your dream."

Galinda nodded, her smile growing a bit.

"I promise I won't forget you Elphie. When I'm queen, you can have whatever position you want."

The green girl thought about this offer for a minute before responding, her head turned towards the blonde.

"Alright, but I'm not sleeping with anyone either. Deal?"

Galinda nodded energetically, still laughing enough that her words had to come between her laughs.

"Deal. No sleeping with anyone to get a position in the palace. Unless they're our age."

Elphaba just rolled her eyes, smiling herself now.

"I think I'll stick with not sleeping with anyone actually, but don't take that as not supporting your dream. I still do, and one day when you're the virgin Queen of Oz, and I'm some random person who trails around after you, we'll remember this moment and laugh at how accurate we were."

If there was one thing the blonde loved, it was predicting people's futures. In fact, match making was her personal favorite.

"One day Elphie, you and me, we're going to be the most important people in all of Oz, you'll see."

* * *

A/N: Hehe, that was a funny chapter to write. I actually got yelled at in class for laughing at what everyone else thought was nothing xD Hope you enjoyed, next chapter should be coming along soon.


End file.
